Hitachi DZ-MV350A DVD-CAM Camcorder (Hitachi-DZMV350A)

Sony DCR-TRV70 MiniDV Handy Camcorder (Sony-DCRTRV70)

Canon ELURA 50 Mini DV Camcorder (Canon-8713A001)

Sharp VL-Z7U Mini DV Camcorder (Sharp-VLZ7U)

Samsung SCD33 MiniDV Camcorder (Samsung-SCD33)

Page 9 of 10

Sharp Viewcam
VL-Z7U

Photograph: Marc SimonThe Sharp Viewcam
VL-Z7U has a much different design from the other camcorders reviewed
here: Both the grip and the 2.5-inch (diagonal) LCD screen can pivot to
different angles, so you can comfortably film from waist level or above your
head while still using the hand strap. Although not the smallest camcorder in
this group, its dimensions of 3.2 by 3.1 by 4.1 inches and its 1.1-pound weight
meant that it was small enough and light enough to carry for an extended time.
The controls are accessible from a four-way toggle switch just above the
display, and they are straightforward and easy to use. The LCD was quite
readable in most lighting conditions.

Like all the camcorders we
tested, the VL-Z7U can save still images to a flash memory card: As a
1.3-megapixel still camera, it produced adequate pictures, although it won't
replace a dedicated digital camera. It also comes with a flash that was useful
for close shots but not much else. You can also transfer video frames from tape
to the flash card as stills.

This camcorder delivered well-balanced
color and correctly exposed images in most lighting conditions, although it
lacks an infrared emitter for taking video in total darkness. The 10X optical
zoom was good, but the 500X digital zoom was pretty useless beyond 20X,
producing grainy, jittery images. In our informal tests, the standard battery
lasted about 2 hours--long enough for a weekend of casual shooting.